Waiting Great Britain to get hold of the Billie Jean King Cup will continue after they have left the tournament with a semi-final loss to the United States.
Sonay Kartal was first on the field in Shenzhen, China, opposite Emma Navarro and was an early set-up with a 6-3 success, but lost the next two sets 6-4, 6-3 to leave Great Britain 1-0.
Katie Boulter picked up Jessica Pegula and again she quickly hit her pass and won the first set 6-3, but after a struggle the second set went 6-4 to the American and the last set ended 6-2 in favor of Pegula.
“I think the players should keep their heads high on either side of mine. We really brought it to the American team,” said the captain, Anne Koothavong. “The matches were close by, there were opportunities in both games, in the second set, for both players.
“I said all week, this competition is really important to all of us. I think you could see how much it meant for the players who competed there, how much they wanted it. They threw everything at it, but lacked. That is sport for you.”
Boulter was able to draw the positives from the game and regards her disappointment that she had lost as a sign of the higher personal expectations associated with developing as a player. She said: “I always like to walk and play for my country. I think I will get my biggest victories and my lowest losses for me.
“At the same time, I know that it will motivate me for a long time. Of course a match like that against a top quality player, I can’t expect me to win every time. I am actually at an stage where I expect that I will win those competitions, and that is why it hurts more. I think that’s a good thing.
Kartal came to the British team for the first time in the season and described the experience as one of the best of her career so far despite the loss. She said: “It was my first experience this year playing the qualifications and playing here. I think there is a lot of emotion.
“I am eroded, we cannot get through it, hopefully I can take this competition and it gives me the momentum that I had in recent months. These weeks I have always said that the highlights are in people’s career. For me, playing these events is top three.
“It is a huge honor to represent your country. I think these are the best weeks, the most difficult weeks. As Katie said, it’s hard when we get so close. It has been an incredible week for me. I kept every second.”
The US will now play the ruling champions, Italy, in the final on Sunday, making the American team only a short turnaround while they prepare for a 19th triumph in the tournament.
The leader of America, Lindsay Davenport, said: “It has been a privilege to be here. I have not been back since the 2008 Olympic Games and to see all the changes in this country, to see all growth in this sport is really fun for us. It was our goal to make it here. We made it here.
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